Thursday, February 21, 2008

Not counting pizza and spaghetti, chicken Parmesan may be the most popular Italian-American restaurant entree out there. For many years I've been trying to perfect a home version that didn’t require the breading and frying, but still offered that irresistible combination of tender chicken, crunchy/cheesy coating, and flavorful sauce. These attempts were met with soggy, flaccid results. The problem with not frying the breaded breast is the baked-on coating just doesn’t get crisp enough to stand up to the sauce and cheese.

Well, on Tuesday, February 19th, at 4:45 PM, it hit me like a giant meatball dropped from the leaning tower of Pisa (worst simile ever?). I was watching TV and saw some croutons being sprinkled on a salad. I suddenly had the answer to my crispy/cheesy coating dilemma. The solution to the breading problem was…no breading! I would make the chicken Parmesan like a casserole; chicken and sauce, topped with a crispy, crunchy, layer of cheese and croutons.

What followed was one of my proudest moments as a cook. Not only did the recipe taste amazing, it was also better than any traditional chicken Parmesan I had ever made. When you consider it's lower in fat, takes about 10 minutes to put together, it's no wonder why this is my new favorite recipe. Now I know what Alexander Graham Bell felt like when he got that phone to work…"Watson, come here, I need you…the chicken Parmesan is ready." Enjoy!

UPDATE!! My chicken really was done after 35 minutes (plus resting for 10), but your cooking time may be up to an hour depending on the size, shape, and temperature of your chicken. Please use a meat thermometer to check doneness (155 degree F.)

Jewels, ripe bananas just beg to be used in a nice moist banana bread. Most recipes are very similar, so probably any one online will work (check reviews first) And to make it extra special throw in a handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips to offset all those nutrients.

My girlfriend suggested spaghetti and meatballs for dinner yesterday but then I saw this and decided to try it. We made it half chicken and half eggplant with Pastene's Spaghetti sauce. Aside from the eggplant and sauce, we made it as written. You better patent it Chef John as I'm sure this dish will be on the menus soon of the leading chains, it has everything they like in a dish!!! Excellent. We did feel though that the croutons overpowered the dish. I'll make it again one day with half the amount of croutons and would mildly crush them just a tiny bit. It's a a very very tasty dish, easy to prepare and quick to boot, chicken comes out just right, taste is wonderful - just a stroke of genius dish.

Thanks! I was kidding about the "genius" thing, but if people keep agreeing so be it! ;)

I'm glad you enjoyed it. They say imitation is the greatest form of flattery, but for a chef the greatest form of flattery is someone using one of your recipes and tweaking it to their own tastes...and a new dish is born.

Hey Chef John, Looks great! I actally have a question about garlic for you. So I bought a huge bag of garlic at Costco the other day, and I was wondering if there is any way that I can mince up a ton of it and put it in a storage container, while still preserving its freshness.

Just made this and it turned out pretty good. One comment is that the chicken at the bottom does not absorb too much flavor. It seems like each layer is flavorful on its own but there was not much melding with the chicken. Any way to improve upon that? Other than that, I could see this being a go-to dish.

Just made this today- even the picky eater liked it. Next time I will divide it into 2 pans as the meat was not done after 35 min. so (this time I transferred half into another 9x13 pan and baked another 25 min.) might also slice each piece crossways so they are not so thick, or pound them to flatten a little. Used "Bertolli Vineyard premium Collections Marinara with Burgundy Wine"- nice aroma.Nice there is no frying to do- lower fat.

Chef John,I made this for the family and they loved it. I am going to make it for a church dinner this weekend, but I am going to cut the chicken into strips so that more people can get some of it. It's pot luck so you know everyone will want a bite.

Hi Chef John,I'm one of your subscribers on youtube and I had to thank you for this wonderful recipe :) I too, had... ahem... 'big breasts' from the butcher shop and I went ahead and gave your recipe a try. Everyone in the house raved! I love that I didn't have to wash so many dishes afterward. I had to cover the pan with foil to prevent overbrowning of the croutons because the breasts needed an extra 10 minutes. Too bad Rachel Ray didn't think of this one (HA! NOT!)- this was so easy, quick, and delicious. Brilliant! MUAH :* Ciao!---------------Your subscriber, Maria aka sh97

Chef John,I just made this last night and served it with angel hair pasta and it was delicious! I cannot stress how amazing it was for such a simply recipe. Thank you again for another wonderful recipe.

my fiancee claims he doesn't like this or that, and then i make it(usually something you show me) and he is a changed man. thank you for yet another recipe that has changed his mind. the garlic croutons i used(wegmans brand) were overpowering, but other than that it was a big hit, and simple to boot!

This is awesome. I made it a few months ago and was craving it again allllll week. So tonight I finally had a chance to make it, and YUM! Thanks, Chef John! One problem, though...my chicken breasts never get done in 35 or even 40 minutes. Should I bake it lower in the oven? Cover with foil for half the time?

The best croutons to use for this are the garlic focaccia ones in the huge bag from Costco!

I made this for my fiance last night and he threw a bloody fit that he wouldn't eat it(super picky and isn't a fan of Italian or any hot dish, crazy i know but...)So i pulled the mother act out and said kitchens closed, eat this or starve. I come back out to find HE ATE THE WHOLE PAN, and now he's demanding it once a week.Thank you so much for this recipe, now maybe i can convince him to eat my eggplant hot-dish..hopefully.;)

Dear Chef John, I discovered your blog recently and have been an avid fan/stalker. I made this Chicken Parmesan today and it's delicious! I love the Chicken Cacciatore too! Thank you so much for posting your video recipes.

I just made this now for the mother inlaw's Birthday dinner tonight. I realized I put Cesar croutons instead of Garlic - but it looks awesome - and I will post back how it went. You have some awesome recipes that are easy to follow for the novice like me. Thanks.

there was still a crap load of water. it was soo soogy. i had to dump some of the water out.. i would put chicken then sauce then croutons. layer of cheese between sauce and croutons blocks the croutons from absorbing the water.

Oh, Chef John!! This dish is fabulous!! We made it last night for our Valentine's supper and it was PERFECT... Just the right amount of flavours and textures. We all had second helpings, and trust me, it was not the only dish on the table! Just couldn't say no to seconds. The only change we made was to cut up the chicken into chunks, which I think worked out really well - made it easier to serve, and ensured properly cooked chicken. I also thought it seemed like an excess amount of herb, but once we dug in, it just wouldn't have been the same without it. :) We served it with Greek salad, garlic bread and molten chocolate lava cake for dessert. Just try not to drool over that meal.

This is soooo good. I didn't have any croutons, so I replaced them with the crust from the eggplant-parmesan recipe and just added some garlic to the mix. It's not as crunchy, but very tasty as well!Thanx, for all the great recipes!

I tried the chicken parmesan bake earlier but the chicken didn't cook (it may be the oven, i don't know) so i took out the chicken and cooked it separately in a pot in the end, though the sauce, cheese and croutons' combination (funnily enough) came out great, after mixing it in with the chicken, it pretty much did the trick.

I just tried this tonight and it's a winner! I followed your instructions exactly but I used a classico cheese and spinach sauce for the tomato sauce because that's all I had. I made it for one and just eyeballed the ingredient to match yours. It was delicious. I am going to make it again this weekend when my husband get back. I am sure he'll love it.

Chef John,Love your videos. Just made the Chicken Parmesan and the Carmelised Apple pie. My sister and my mother are now groupies. We watched food wishes you tube videos till 1am this morning. Dont know if I should admit this or not, but I bought fried chicken tenders from the local gas station for the chicken parmesan. I needed a special Sunday dinner with minimal time to make. You made me look good Chef John. Thank you.

Would you try it with Tofu Chef...? you are making me wish I never became a pescetarian here...I never thought I would live to see the day I would be the guy asking a great Italian-American chef the "Tofu Question"...

Hey chef John saw this other day and had to try turned out great family and friends are already begging me to make it again lol now the fun part begins finding good lil tweaks to the recipe without completely changing the dish

Thanks Chef John, I made this dish tonight for a bunch of friends and it was a hit! I don't normally cook with meat, so I was nervous the chicken wouldn't be done. I left it in maybe 10-15 longer than you suggested. What's great about this recipe is that the sauce keeps the chicken moist so even though I cooked it longer it was very tender and not at all overcooked. I also cut the chicken into strips so it was easier to scoop out, like a casserole. Unlike other posts, I did not think the croutons were at all overpowering, but maybe that was just the brand I used. I will definitely make this again, and perhaps experiment with other sauces or add in veggies. Thanks for a great and easy addition to the recipe collection!

Made this tonight for my 2 nephews while their parents were out of town, must've been good because there's nothing left (it was just the three of us!). I used tenders because they were on sale, and Italian croutons. Wasn't quite done at 35 minutes, gave it a dollop more time. Next time will pound the meat just a tad. Left out the red pepper flakes because I was out (and a jar was $3.99) but they'd add a nice zip.

I was skeptical but made this for dinner tonight anyway. It was fantastic (although I must admit I used way more mozzarella cheese than the recipe actually called for)and the hubby called it a keeper! I used Chattam Village Garlic & Butter Croutons by Marzetti and did not find them overpowering at all. Can't wait to try more of your recipes!

All I have to say is THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! This recipe is delicious! My husband tried this about 2 months ago and we've made it over 5 times since for dinner. Needless to say, we love it! I even made it for a get together once and everyone loved it!

Made this last night. It's going around Pinterest like mad. I had heard of you a while back when I was looking around the web for a different grilled cheese recipe. (And found and made your version with cheddar seared on the outside - yum!) But I had never been to your site till now. I LOVE your videos! Simple and entertaining instructions. Perfect. My husband raved about the chick parm bake, and my never-wants-to-eat-anything 1.5 year old cleaned his plate! Paired the chicken with thin spaghetti and snap peas on the side. This recipe is going into regular rotation, and I can't wait to play around with it! I also was thinking it would be a perfect meal to bring new parents or grieving families.

So glad I found your website this morning! Next week this will make an appearance on our menu. A side of garlic angel hair and tossed salad sounds great too! Thanks! I'm off to look for a recipe for garlic croutons!

Made this tonight- thanks SO much for sharing this fantastic recipe, you ARE a genius! Definitely a hit with the family. I increased the ingredients a bit as we had 6 people eating. Modifications: I sliced 8 breasts in half (thickness) and sauteed them in the olive oil and garlic for a few min each side. I used the Barilla Marinara two 650 jars) & layered the dish like so: 1/2 c sauce, half the chicken pieces, 3/4 c mozzarella, good sprinkle of parmesan, 1/2 the basil. 2nd layer: other half of the chicken, 2 c sauce, other 1/4 c of basil, 1 c mozzarella, 1/4 c parmesan, the croutons, (crushed just a BIT) final c of mozzarella & 1/4 c parmesan. Covered with foil, baked at 350 ONE HOUR. (Perfectly done) Warmed the leftover marinara so we could drizzle a little over the spaghetti we served with the chicken. This was YUM... but we'd like to try doubling the middle layer cheese next time. Final vote from my picky twenty-ish kids was that this should DEFINITELY be added to our dinner 'rotation'... thanks again!!

Okay, I haven't read all 105 comments, but I thought I'd add my 2 cents in case it hasn't been shared already. 1) this looks really interesting and I'm going to have to add it to my "things to try" list.2) America's Test Kitchen (which is, IMHO, the BEST cooking show on the face of the planet) has a phenomenal Chicken Parm recipe if you ever want to do "the real thing" - you can get a free 14-day trial version on their site to see the recipe (it's from a previous season and only current season recipes are available w/o the membership). http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/login.asp?docid=5549&extcode=M**ASCA00 It's AMAZING.

I tried this last week and after 35 minutes the chicken was seriously undercooked. So either increase the cooking time or cut your chicken into 1 inch cubes before you start,as it is definitely worth a try.

I made your recipe this weekend, and it was unbelievably simple and delicious. Thank you for sharing the Barilla marinara sauce idea, too. That is hands down the best marinara you can buy in a grocery store.

I am your number one stalker. HAHA! I love every recipe. You are concise and know how to make your videos enjoyable. I really do have to say after making this though it was amazing I think I will try exactly the Barilla Marinara and Callender's Croutons because the sauce I used and croutons I think were a tad sub par. I have come to realize it really is what quality of ingredients you use. ;)

Found this yesterday on Pinterest and made it tonight to rave reviews from my husband (and myself!). It was so easy and really delicious. I baked mine in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes and it was cooked perfectly.

I also saw this on Pinterest yesterday, my husband is a huge Chicken Parm fan, I decided to make it for dinner tonight. While watching the video together last night my husband says, "I could even make that!" It was delicious and left us with plenty of leftovers! Thanks!

I made this last night and it was so yummy! My husband and to kids (ages 2 and 5) cleared their plates. If's not often, having kids, that all 4 of us eat the same thing at one meal. And as a working communting mom who gets home late, this was so fast to prepare! I used thin sliced chicken and it was so flavorful...

Saw this recipe off on Pinterest and made it last night. I put it up on my blog with links to your site and full credit given to you. Was delicious. My topping burned a bit but think that was due to my oven.

I don't know what I did wrong, but I cooked at 350 degrees for 35minutes, and when I took it out, the cheese and croutons were completely cooked (any longer and it would have burned) but the chicken was COMPLETELY raw, not even a tiny bit cooked!!! I don't even know how that is possible :( Since the toppings were so cooked already, I just ended up tossing the whole thing in the trash :( I Really wanted to try this tonight too.... Any tips for next time????

I have made this a couple of times since I found on pintrest with your oven roasted tomato sauce. OMG!! So awesome!!! Love, love, love!! I adore this blog and the yummy recipes made with real food, but not pretentious!

Made this last night...fantastic! But I believe the genius is actually in the way the chicken comes out. I have never had such soft, tender, juicy chicken breasts without having to "do" anything to it! So....the bigger the breasts, the better!

I made this tonight after someone re-pinned my pin on pinterest and reminded me of this good looking recipe. I hade a short time to fix dinner and I had most of the ingredients!I substituted crushed ritz crackers and it was delicious! Thank you!

Just made this...made it exactly as written. Chicken VERY moist (but next time I'll use thighs just because it's a personal preference). I made my own croutons but I cut the bread a little too big. Next time I'll make them smaller or chop them up a bit so you get crunch in every bite (my son kept stealing croutons off other pieces - they were REALLY good...and just cuz we're "over-the-top" people, I used more cheese. GREAT recipe. Served with Orechette covered with the other cup of sauce and parmesan.

I have made Chef Johns Creamy mushroom pasta, beef stronganoff and the chicken parmesan and they have all been family and guest favourites. I really didn't change the chicken parmesan recipe at all and being a working mom and always looking for simple but good dishes I was skeptic it was going to taste good but now its my husbands favourite and it was honestly a great meal. Thanks Chef John for all the time you put in for the videos which really helps me ( I sometimes have my laptop going along with making a dish)and your quality recipes. My next goal is creme fraiche (yes i used sour cream in the beef stroganoff but not the diet kind)This is my favourite food website!

I have to admit, I was a bit dubious because this recipe seemed far too easy. But I tried this tonight and it was just flat-out amazing. Super simple to prepare and the whole family loved it. I'll be back for more recipes!

I'm trying this tonight, I hope it turns out as amazing as it looks!! I love chicken parm but I'm just too dang lazy to make it so it's turned into one of those restaurant-only meals for me. The more steps and the more dirty dishes something requires, the less interest I have, lol.

Not sure what you did, but I have literally hundreds of emails about how great this recipe works. Better check your oven! Did you broil it? Why didn't you cover and cook until the chicken was cooked? If it was raw, why stop?

I made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious! I also had bought large breasts so I pounded them thinner before laying them in the pan. I loved the slight kick from the red pepper flakes too. We are living in Italy currently (stationed here with the military) so I have easy access to lots of fresh and aged cheeses. I used the real parmesan, added a little grana padano and fresh mozzarella. 35 minutes was perfect, I broiled it for the last 5 to make sure the croutons (homemade) got extra crispy. My super picky husband (who doesn't really even like chicken or new recipes I come across) cleaned his plate. My kids asked for seconds. Thanks again -this will now be in our rotation!

I made this dish two nights ago and it was delicious!! You ARE a genius! I used a little extra garlic (I love garlic) and made sure to coat both sides of the chicken with the oil, garlic and peppers. Gave the chicken great flavor. In assembling this I was distracted (kids!) and forgot to add the fresh basil. I ended up sprinkling a little of the basil on top of the cheese and it tasted great. This was so easy and good, I will definitely be making this a lot!!! And I've shared this recipe with my friends!!

From a mother of 4 picky eaters, thank you! All of my children loved this and asked for seconds. Seconds!!! It was delicious and easy. The only change I made was to cut the chicken ahead of time into cubes. That way I could just dish it out without having to cut up everyone's food. Worked wonderfully. Thanks again!!!

Tried the recipe last night and it was very tasty. Only "issues" I had was 1) I felt that my breasts were very thick so it didn't feel like a traditional chicken parmesan. And 2) When i would cut the chicken all the top layer cheese, sauce, and crouton would just fall off. So the eating experience wasn't what i expected. Any suggestions on what I should differently? Or is that how its supposed to be?

Made this tonight and it turned out fabulous! Minor tweaks: made it with turkey cutlets instead of chicken breast, used Mrs. Dash original seasoning and garlic to marinate the cutlets for 30 mins before putting it all together, and since I'm such a garlic lover I doubled the amount of garlic. Love it!! See why I call you Awesome! My new name for you - Chef Awesomeness!(LOL)

Now I'm on to that gingerbread cake with lemon glaze. Yeah!!

p.s. Saw a comment about using a gas oven. I use a gas oven and no problema!:-)

Hi Chef John! I made this last night and my boyfriend and I LOVED it! I cut the recipe in half (and then some) because it was just the two of us. Although now, I really wish I would have made the whole thing so I could have had left overs :) On that note, how many servings are in this recipe? And do you have any kind of nutritional facts available? Thanks!!

I thought this was absolutely fantastic! I had no problems with mine being watery. I can only guess that would have to have something to do with the sauce that was use. I know some are more thin than others. Mine came out perfect! Thanks for your genious idea! I can't wait to see what other recipes you have!

I made this and it was as easy and delicious as promised. The only thing I will change next time is I won't add the extra basil. I used my own homemade sauce and I found adding extra basil was too overpowering. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe that my family loved!

i'm definitely not a cook but since i can follow a recipe i prepared the dish exactly as you instructed and my husband and i couldn't get enough of it, absolutely delicious. so easy to make that i will definitely make it a regular....thanks

Made this for dinner last night. It was AMAZING! So super easy and so delicious. I did have to extend my cooking time by 15 min for the chicken to be done. I think next time I will cut up the chicken into strips. Well done Chef John!

Made this tonight for my husband and three boys and an amazing thing happened... They ALL liked it. It's a very rare thing at my house. Followed your instructions to a tee; just covered it with foil when the croutons were already browned after the first 15-18 minutes in the oven. Thanks!

Found this recipe on Pinterest, just made it for dinner tonight. SOO easy, and very good. My husband said "feel free to make this anytime", and even my 7 year old picky eater loved it!!! I thought it would take longer to cook, but mine only took about 40 minutes. Thank you!!!

So I'm 4 years late to the party. This was DELICIOUS! I am a disaster in the kitchen and still managed to pull this off. I see this making it into the heavy rotation of meals in our house.

I think next time I will try crushing the croutons just a little bit to break them up or look for smaller croutons. My 9 year old had a hard time with them being too big and crunchy. This probably had a lot to do with her losing a tooth AND having her braces tightened today. She still ate every bite of the chicken & cheese! And I, being the sacrificial mother that I am, ate her croutons. :)

I found this on Pinterest and have been SUPER excited to try it! I've got it in the oven now. Only, I didn't have your recipe open when I did it and I went the forgetful way and didn't do the oil, garlic and pepper on the bottom or the basil. I'm ok that I forgot the garlic (garlic does bad things to good people) but I feel bad about the rest of it. Also! I cut my chicken into bite sized pieces so I can serve it easily :) Excited!!! Thanks so much for sharing such a good idea!!

i might be called an idiot but i use hunt's pasta sauce to make this. i dumped a lot of "sauce" out earlier, after forty minutes because it was boiling inside the dish. going to let it sit for a while. i don't know why i kept buying the pasta sauce because i've made it about ten times and they're all watery. will try with a thicker sauce next time. i once substituted breadcrumbs. i've been using cheese and garlic wegmans croutons lately. you are great chef john!!

I made this and wrote about it here. It was a huge hit with the whole family.

One tip for those who were having trouble with the chicken. Try pounding the breasts out between plastic wrap. The plastic wrap keeps gross chicken bits from flying all over your kitchen. (If you don't have a meat mallet, a frying pan will work as well.) The chicken cooks more evenly when it is a uniform thickness.